James f



(No Model.)

J. 'E'. WINGHELL, H. V. DIEHL & W. G. DEARDS.

CORN PLANTER.

Patented June 22 lll Tn: mums Ferias cogvrmm-umo., wAsmnaTn UNITEDSTATES PATENT EEIcE.

JAMES F. WINCHELL, HENRY V. DIEHL, AND lVILLIAM C. DEARDS, OFSPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE FOOS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAMEPLACE.

CORN-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,015, dated June 22,1897. Application filed September 12, 1895. Serial No. 562,243. KNOmodel.)

of Ohio, have invented certain new and use-v ful Improvements inCorn-Planters, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain newl and useful improvements incorn-planters.

Our improvements have reference to a clamp and coupling for connectingthe seatbar with the frame; to the form of the lifting and depressingrod connected with the runner; to a cam and lever for holding a drivingsprocket-wheel out of clutch connection with one of the main wheels, sothat the dropper mechanism may or may not be operated by the rotation ofthe main axle; to a new form of hook-and ratchet-wheel for operating theseed-dropping devices by the check-row attachment; to a new form ofpawl-and -ratchet hand operating device for driving the shaft oftheseed-dropping mechanism; to a new cut-off in the discharge-spoutand'means for operating it, and to a new coupling attachment forconnecting the runner with the main frame.

In the accompanying drawings, on which like reference letters andnumerals indicate corresponding parts, Figure l is a plan view of aboutone-half of a corn-planter with our improvements applied thereto; Fig.2, a partial section and side view of the ratchet and hook devices forrotating the dropper-shaft Fig. 3, an elevation and sectional view ofthe elevating and depressing rod for the runner; Fig. 4., a plan andside view and a sectional view on the line am of the seat-bar clamp andcoupling; Fig. 5, an elevation and sectional view of theratchet-and-pawl mechanism for operating the dropper-shaft by hand; Fig.6, a sectional view of the seed-dropping mechanism, taken partly on theline y y and the line y y of Fig. 7 Fig. 7, a' diametrical sectionalview of the seed-dropping mechanism; Fig. 8, an enlarged plan View ofthe cam and lever devices for holding the sprocket out of clutchedconnection with the main wheel and a detail view of the cam and lever onthe line ez, and Fig. 9 a view of the runner connection.

The letter A designates the main frame of a corn-planter, and B thecross-bars thereof. An axle C is mounted in the vframe and carriesground-wheels D, of which only one is shown. This wheel rotates freelyon the axle and has a clutch E and a sprocket-wheel G, adapted to beengaged by a clutch F, mounted to rotate on the axle and forced by aspring H into engagement with the wheel through said clutches. Asprocket-chain I on this sprocket wheel passes over a smallersprocket-wheel .I on the dropper-shaft K, so as to rotate the latterfrom the driving or supporting wheel D if desired to use the planter asa drill. On a bracket L a lever M is pivoted with one end engaging agroove in a collar O 'of the sprocket-wheel G. A cam P, fitted on themain axle C and held by a setscrew Q, engages with the lever IWI, whenthe shaft C is slightly turned bythe lever C and forces it out at oneend and draws the clutch F away from the clutch E. This is done when itis desired to momentarily not operate the dropper-shaft through thedriving-wheel.

The dropper shaft K has an operatingwheel R thereon, that carries pinsS, engaged by a hook T, connected with the pivoted lever U of thecheck-row attachment, and adapted, when acted on by the usual check-rowwire, to draw on the hook T and rotate the wheel R and shaft K. The hookT extends partly under the pin S, so that when the next pin strikes thehook, when in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, it cannotlift the hook. Thus the hook acts as a stop to check the momentum of thewheel R, and consequently check the dropping-shaft, with its droppingmechanism, to prevent rotating too far. A spring V returns the leverUandhook T to the position shown in Fig. l after being operated by aknot inthe wire. A seedbox o is mounted on the frame in any desiredmanner and contains the usual top plate b, with its crown c and raisedportion d, under which is fitted the usual ejector e to arrest the grainand cause it to drop through the dropperplate. Beneath the top plate?)is the drop- IOO per-plate f, perforated, as usual, and having on itslower side a bevel-pinion g, engaged by a similar pinion 7L on thedroppershaft K to rotate the dropper-plate. Around the outer edge ofthedropper-plate are provided ratchetteeth or a succession of inclines i,which act, in a manner presently to appear, to vibrate the lever bywhich the valve-spoutI is opened and closed. Beneath the dropper-plateis the bottom platej, resting on the bott-om 7e. This bottoni plate hasan opening Z, through which the corn drops into the spout m, thatextends from the hopper CL down into the runner. The betteln plate alsohas a central stud 0, on which the drepper-plate f turns. The bottomplate j is formed into a crown p to give room for the play of thevalve-lever q between such plate aud the dropper-shaft K. This leverqispivoted at i' in the sides of the upper part of the spout m. The upperend of the lever q is inclined, as shown at s in Fig. G, and is adaptedto be struck and depressed by the inclines or teeth i of thedropper-plate as it rotates. Thus the lever q is vibrated in onedirection while it gravitates in the other. This lever has a wing z,which forms a cut-off for the passage Z. It also has hung upon it avalve-rod u, fitted to move up and down in the spout on and carrying apivoted valve proper, r. A cross-pin w throws the valve lLf against theside of the spout and holds the valve-stem against the other side, andthus closes the spout. lVhen the stem is raised by the lever (j, thevalve r rides on the pin u and opens the spout.

The inclines or teeth i are so located on the dropper-plat-e that theyactuate the lever q at the proper time and required frequency to depositthe corn the desired distance apart. IVhen the cut-off t closes thepassage I, the spout is opened, and when the spout is closed the passagel is opened.

Referring now to the coupling and clamp for the seat-bar, Fig. et, acasting 2 is bolted to the cross-piece B and has a bolt-hole through itand tapering recesses 3 at its edges. In these recesses are fitted thetapering trunnions 4 of the respective clamping-plates 5 and G. Theseplates receive between them the seat-bar 7 and are held by the bolts 8.The bolt 9 connects the plates with the casting 2 pivotally. Thus theseat may be raised or lowered, if desired, and the trunnions preventrocking motions of the seat proper.

Referring to the hand mechanism for rotating the dropper-shaft, Figs. 1and 5, we mount a bracket 10 on the feed-box and pivot to it ahand-lever 11, adapted to be rocked crosswise the machine by a boy or aman sitting on a seat, (indicated by the dotted circle 12.) At oppositesides of its pivot this lever carries pawls 13 and 14, hung on pivots15. The lower ends of these pawls are bifurcated or formed into jaws 1G,adapted to fit over pins 17, which in effect form teeth of a wheelcomposed of disks 18, interconnected by said pins. Theu the lever 11 isvibrated, say, toward the grain-box, the pawl 13 will press down on thepin and rotate the wheel, which, being rigidly mounted on thedropper-shaft K, will rotate the shaft. During the same movement thepawl it moves up and a succeeding pin nieves down, with the result thatthe pin passes within the jaws of the pawl 14. A reverse movement of thelever depresses the pawl 14 and again turns the wheel a short distance,while the pawl 13 rises and the ncxtpin passes into its jaws. Thus aregular intermittent rotation of the dropper-shaft is effected by a handmanipulation of the lever 1l. Finally, the lifting and pressing rod 10,which is connected by a bolt 20 with the rear end of the runner 21, isprovided with a cross-sleeve 22 of a length equal to the'width ordistance between the sides of the runner. The bolt 2O passes throughthis sleeve, which by reason of its length forms an elongated bearin gthat prevents the twisting or sidewise swinging of the rod 19 in itsrelations to the sides of the runner.

A bracket is bolted to one of the side beams A of the frame and slottedat 2l to receive the bolt 25, which passes through the lug 2G of thebottom plate 7c of the grain-box and thus additionally holds said box tothe frame.

Brackets 27 are secured to the main frame and carry a bolt 28, having atransferable collar 30. The runner 21 is hung on this bolt, and bysetting one or the other brauch of the runner inside of the brackets,with the collar between the inside branch and the nearest bracket, thedistance from one runner te the other may be changed to suit thedistance desired between the rows. An intermediate change may also bemade by placing both branches of the same runner between the bracketsand the collar outside of either bracket. Thus three adjustments of thewidth of rows are provided by this simple arrangement.

I'Iaving thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In acorn-planter, the combination of the main axle adapted to berocked, and means to rock it, the driving-wheel with a clutchface, asprocket-wheel with a clutch-face, a spring to clutch their faces on themain axle, a lever engaging with a collar of the sprocketwheel, and acam on the shaft to engage and disengage with the lever and to operateit by rocking said main axle, dropping mechanism and a shaft thereforwith a sprocket-pinion, a chain connecting said pinion and saidsprocket-wheel together.

2. In a corn-planter, the combination with the seed-dropping mechanismincluding a spout, of a lever adapted te be vibrated by thedioppingplate, a valve in the spout with a valve-stein connected to saidlever, the valve being adapted to close the spout when the lever isinactive and open the spout when the lever is vibrated.

IOO

IIO

3. In a corn-planter, the combination with the dropping mechanismincluding a spout, and inclines on the dropping-plate, of a leveractuated by said inclines, a valve-stem connected to the lever and avalve to said stem which closes the spout when the lever is inactive andopens the spout when the lever is vibrated.

4L. In a corn-planter, the combination with dropping mechanism includinga spout, a revolving dropping-plate and a lower plate with a passage, ofa lever adapted to be vibrated by the dropping-plate, a cut-off on thelever to close said passage, a valve and stem within the spout andconnected to the lever, the vibrations of the lever closing the passageand opening the spout, and vice versa.

5. In a corn-planter, the combination with the dropping mechanismincluding a spout, a dropping-plate with inclines and a lower plate witha passage, of a lever vibrated by said inclines, a cut-off on the leverto close said passage, a valve-stem hung on the lever with a valvelocated in the spout, the vibrations of the lever closing the passageand opening the spout and vice versa.

6. In a corn-planter, the combination with the dropping mechanismincluding a spout, a dropping-plate with inclines, and a lower platewith a passage, of a lever pivoted beneath the lower plate with one endarranged to be actuated by said incline, and a cut-oft near the otherend, a valve and stem in the spout, the stem being hung on the lever andthe valve supported by a cross-pin.

7. In a corn-planter, the combination with the grain-spout with thecross-pin or projection, of a valve-stem within the spout, and a Valveproper pivoted to the stem, said pin 01 projection being betweenthe stemand the valve proper for the purpose described.

8. In a corn-planter, the combination with the dropper-shaft and a wheelthereon with cross-pins forming a ratchet-wheel, of a lever pivoted nearthe said wheel and two pawls pivoted to said lever, one on each side ofthe center of the lever, both of said pawls being on the same side ofthe center of said wheel, so that when said lever is vibrated in onedirection one pawl presses down on one pin and partially rotates thewheel so that when said lever is vibrated in the other direction theother pawl presses down on the next pin, said pawls always acting on thesame side of the center of said wheel.

9. .In a corn-planter, the combination of a casting having taperingrecesses,of two plates each with a tapering projection adapted to iitthe respective recesses, a bolt pivotally connecting .said plates andcasting, and a seat-bar clamped between said plates.

10. In a corn-planter, the combination with the main frame, and bracketssecured thereto, and carrying a bolt, of a runner divided into brancheshung on said bolt, and adapted to be placed with either branch inside ofthe brackets, and a collar on the bolt and adapted to be placed betweenthe inside branch and the nearest bracket for thepurpose described.

In testimony whereof we afix our signatures in presence of twoWitnesses.

JAMES F. WINCHELL. HENRY V. DIEI-IL. WM. C. DEARDS.

p Vitnesses:

I-I. S. BRADLEY, HoRATIo J. FORGY.

